Use of citation analysis to predict the outcome of the 2001 Research Assessment Exercise for Unit of Assessment (UoA) 61: library and information management.

Reports on a citation study carried out to predict the outcome of the UK Higher Education Funding Council's 2001 Research Assessment Exercise (RAE). Using the Institute for Scientific Information's citation databases, assesses the correlation between scores achieved by academic departments in the UK in the 1996 Research Assessment Exercise, and the number of citations received by academics in those departments for articles published in the period 1994-2000. Studies all 338 academics who teach in the UK library and information science schools, who collectively received 2,301 citations for articles they had published in 1994-2000. Ranks the results by department, and compares them to the ratings awarded to the departments in the 1996 RAE. On the assumption that RAE scores and citation counts are correlated, makes predictions for the likely scores in the 2001 RAE. Comments on the impact of staff movements from one academic institution to another. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]